HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Homes are gone and the destruction is again numbing, but there are also images like that of Grady Edwards yanking free a huge fallen tree limb and dragging it to a pile across a Meridianville yard.

The limb was much larger than the 82-year-old Edwards, but his U.S. Marine Corps cap didn't dip and his pace didn't flag. The limb was soon put away and he went back for more.

"If I was the one who had the problem, they'd be out helping me," Edwards said. "It's just helping your neighbor. A strange thing happens and it brings people together. You never know who your neighbor is going to be."

Edwards is but one of an estimated 800 volunteers who chose to spend their weekend in north Madison County helping people dig out from the destruction of Friday's storms.

Marcie Williams, volunteer coordinator for the United Way of Madison County, has led the agency's efforts over the past year in linking people and groups to the massive undertaking of cleaning up after last year's storms. Williams said the work has been ongoing; a group from Maryland was actually working in the Lockhart area when the tornadoes came through last week. She said church networks have led to a steady stream of volunteers from around the country, a group from Xavier University in Ohio was scheduled to arrive today. Leaders from local church The Rock picked up 200 volunteer applications Sunday in order to help out Sunday afternoon.

Last year's storms left Williams and her colleagues well-prepared for Friday's aftermath, they knew just what to do and they were ready when would-be volunteers started calling shortly after Friday's first storm.

"This community is absolutely incredible," she said.

Among those pitching in were North Parkway Home Depot Manager John Rollins and employee Jeff Rainey. They delivered 240 buckets, 50 boxes of towels, 300 gloves, more than 70 cases of water and 150 boxes of trash bags to assist in debris removal. Rainey delivered the items first thing Saturday morning for volunteers.

There is plenty of help, but much more to do. Friday's storms did not cause any loss of life, but scars from last year haven't healed.

Williams said many of the people in the 60 cases she's still working with found Friday's storms to be the worst kind of déja vu. The sirens, winds, destruction and even the sound of chainsaws brought back the grief and terror of April 27 and the dark days that followed.

Even worse, the storms took a similar path and at least 15 of the families Williams is working with had their property hit again.

"It's just unreal," she said. She said the families in Harvest and other areas often grew up there and still have no plans to leave.

Staying means plenty of work and that's where the truckloads of volunteers have been making a difference.

Edwards was part of a group of about 10 volunteers from Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Huntsville working in the Meridianville area Sunday afternoon, trying to bring some order to the backyard of a mostly-razed home on Narrow Lane.

The home has been in Jamie Grant's family for at least 75 years, she said. It was built by her great-grandparents and her mother still lived there. On Friday she would have been home but with the storm warnings in the air, she wasn't sure what time to pick up her grandchildren from school. Jamie suggested her mother wait at Jamie's house for the call from the Madison County Schools. Since she was waiting for the call there, she wasn't home when the tornado destroyed her house.

Limbs and debris surround what's left of the house. Before the arrival of the Aldersgate group, Jamie said her family had one chainsaw. The group's arrival started to turn the tide, a scene that played out over and over again this weekend.

Cliff Burson, an Aldersgate member, was glad to help.

"People need it, I can do it, it's a good fit," he said. "It's a small part, but you get a bunch of other people doing a small part and a big job gets done."

Jamie's daughter Destaney wrote a poem for her grandmother Thursday night and a copy of it was taped to the front door Sunday as family members and Aldersgate volunteers cut and hauled wood and debris.

The poem concludes, "The foundations of the household were shaken and destroyed. But the foundations of her belief, and blessed by Christ was not touched ... but became more strong and unmovable."

Williams said the biggest challenge dates back to last year's storms, the removal of large debris, such as root balls and large pieces of housing debris. They have no heavy equipment and limited funds dedicated to that problem.

The United Way of Madison County last year set up a disaster relief fund, with all proceeds going to the community and no overhead taken out. Williams said $311,000 has been raised to date. She said people can donate online at www.madisoncountycares.org and signal if they want to donate to the "disaster relief fund." If someone wants to earmark money for debris removal, they can write it in an email or on the check.

Today the Volunteer Registration Center opened by VOAD (Volunteers Organizations Active in Disaster) in response to the tornadoes is moving to the United Way of Madison County office. To contact them, call 256-536-0745 or email Williams at marcie.williams@uwhsv.org.